Sambal Mythology | Pantheon of Deities and Beings

Zambales is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north and northeast, Tarlac to the east, Pampanga to the southeast, Bataan to the south and the West Philippine Sea to the west.

Prior to colonization, the Aeta people became the first human population who inhabited what is now Zambales. From linguistic studies, it appears that the Sambal language is closest to a variety of Tagalog known as “Sinaunang Tagalog” which is spoken in Tanay, Rizal. This has been interpreted to mean that the Sambal-speaking peoples were originally living about the Tanay, Rizal area and started moving northward as the Austronesian Tagalog from Masbate and Mindoro started moving about 6,000 B.C., pushing earlier groups to the Zambales area.

The province’s name came from the word zambal, which is a Hispanized term for Sambali. Zambal refers to the native language spoken by the early Austronesian inhabitants of the place. A contending version states that the name was derived from the word samba, meaning worship, because the Spanish supposedly found the native inhabitants to be highly superstitious; worshipping the spirits of their ancestors.

It could also originate from the word “Zambo”, a term used by the Iberian (Spanish and Portuguese) empires to distinguish people of African ethnicity/descent. The province is home to the Aetas, the aboriginal people of the Philippines who share Afro-ethnic similarities.

The Sambal people had a complex indigenous religion before Spanish colonization. The deities of the Sambal, Kapampangan, and Tagalog have some similarities, but there are also deities unique to each. The most prominent deities in the pantheon of Sambal mythology include:

• Malayari – Deity of power and strength and of Mt. Pinatubo.
• Akasi – Anito of health and sickness
• Manglubar – Anito of peaceful living. His main duty was to pacify angry hearts.
• Mangalagar – Anito of good grace. It was said that she used to accompany the priests wherever they went, especially when they went hunting.
• Anitun Tauo – Anitoof wind and rain.
• Damulag – Anito who preserved the sown fields from typhoons and winds. Also known as Damulag. One of four brothers.
• Dumagan – Anito of harvest who made the grain grow abundantly. One of 4 brothers.
• Kalasakas – Anito who hastened the ripening of rice stalks. One of the four brothers.
• Kalasokus – Anito who was responsible for turning the grains from green to yellow. One of the four brothers.

MALAYARI

The domains of Malayari. Among the early people of Zambales, it is recorded that Malayari was considered the highest ranking deity. Powerful and almighty, Malayari was said to be the creator of all things on earth. He was the master of life and the lord of death. He was compassionate and loving. He granted satisfaction to the desires of his favorites. He sent rain for the fields of his worshippers, good health for those who followed his wishes, and wealth and good harvest for all those who faithfully observed his laws. However, like other gods, Malayari was also exacting and cruel in his punishment of those who ignored his commandments. He would send down disease, famine, misery, and destruction to the unbelievers, especially to those who refused to offer him sacrifices.

DIVINITIES ASSISTING MALAYARI

In administering the affairs of the universe, Malayari was assisted by several minor deities. These deities were called anito. Among these anito were Akasi, Manglubar, Mangalagar, Anitun Tauo, Dumagan, Kalasakas, Kalasokus, and Damulag.

Sometimes considered as having powers equal to those of Malayari, Akasi was the celebrated god of health and sickness. Sacrifices for the immediate recovery of the sick were made to this god. No one had seen Akasi, although many of the priests claimed that they had talked to him. Whether this account was true or not, the people never bothered investigating. They believed whatever the priests told them. In fact, during the ritual ceremony everyone present, including the village loafers, became good and food was shared alike.

Another deity serving Malayari was Manglubar, god of peaceful living. His main duty was to pacify angry hearts. Hence, when anyone in the village had committed crimes, it was the priests of Manglubar who were sent to pacify the relatives of the offended party. The reconciliation, if ever such was considered by the offended party, consisted in the offender’s giving gold or something worth it to the relatives of the aggrieved person, according to the rank of the latter.

Often called the guardian angel, Mangalagar was the god of good grace. It was said that she used to accompany the priests wherever they went, especially when they went hunting. If the expedition was successful, sacrifices given to this deity were colorful; if otherwise, the ceremony was less elaborate. It is interesting to note that under no circumstances would the person who invoked Mangalagar’s aid enter the house without offering some gifts. Although it was not explained very clearly why sacrifices had to be given, some people said that if they did not do so, they would not be blessed with luck the next time they embarked on an expedition.

As goddess of wind and rain, Aniton Tauo was said to be superior to any of her associates. However, because of her conceit, Malayari punished her by reducing her rank. The Zambals offered her pinipig of the best kind during harvest season. The sacrifices using these ingredients are called mamiarag.

As god of good harvest Dumagan caused the rice to yield better grains. Dumagan had several brothers, all equally powerful. They were Kalasakas, Kalasokus, and Damulag. Kalasakas was responsible for the early ripening of the ricestalks; Kalasokus, for turning the grains yellow and dry; and Damulag for keeping the flowers of the rice plants from being blown away by hurricanes. These gods had many priests and priestesses serving them.

FOLKLORIC BEINGS

ANI-ANI – (Zambales) Much like a Kapre, yet apparently 18 feet tall.  Blocks travelers paths.   He can change into a man or beast.

BACOBACO – (Zambales)  Bacobaco is a great sea turtle who bore into the top of Pinatubo creating a great crater and emitting great flames, huge rocks, mud, ashes, smoke and deafening noise in the process. According to the legend, Bacobaco continued to dwell in the mountain and when he comes out “woe be to us.”

BINAGOONAN  – (Zambales, Ayta) A big man, like an American with his body glimmering on fire. An evil spirit of giant proportions. Was seen by a man named Pan Basilio. Eats people. Disguised itself as a patianak spirit and possessed Pan Basilio. Caused great sickness and misfortune.

BOROKA –  (Iloko, Zambales) Can transform into a bird. Cannot reattach her body if ashes and a mixture of salt and vinegar is placed on her lower half. Eats the hearts and livers of her victims. Prefers human children, is fond of their livers. May abduct young humans and keep them as housekeepers, feeding them flesh and liver.

CAMANA – (Zambales) It dwells in gloomy places and assumes the form of small animals or becomes invisible. A person who encounters a camana must offer it food or other gifts, otherwise he will become sick. Those made ill by a camana can be cured through a mag-anito ritual.

KAMANAN – DAPLAK  – (Zambales) Tiny mythical people who live in trees over mountain brooks.  They will put sweet wild flowers beside infants who are left alone.

MAMBUBUNO  –  (Zambales) A fish like human with a double tail and large black slimy scales. When a fisherman sees her, he can’t help but follow to her cave.  He does not get wet or drown, unless he decides to leave her.

MANINIBLOT  –  (Zambales) She goes out to harm her enemies when the moon is full.  She gives chills and fever.  She keep a tiny doll under her fireplace that she pricks where she wants her victims to suffer.  She also picks up the earth of her victims footprints and roasts them in a clay pot to cause high fevers.

MANGKOKOLAM –  (Zambales) In a Zambal legend, the mangkokolam was also driven out of the victim’s body by whipping the victim, this time by a buntot pagui (stingray tail).

It is a common superstitious belief among some Filipinos that there exists a certain woman who possesses the supernatural power of giving various kinds of sickness to people. They call this woman mangkokolam and the disease given by her, kolam. This woman has a small doll. She keeps this little doll in a bamboo joint in her private room. This woman is accustomed to shut herself up every Friday in this room. Here she makes the doll dance. The people believe that whenever she wants to give sickness to a woman or a man whom she hates, she will stick a needle or pin through the body of the doll. If she wants the person to suffer a certain kind of disease in the eyes, she will pierce the eyes of the doll. A peculiar character of the kolam is that it cannot be cured by any doctor. Ancient tradition says that this kind of woman, or the mangkokolam, can be easily distinguished from other women by the fact that she is usually lean and timid. Her character is very envious and beggarly. It is believed that whenever this woman fails to give kolam within a week, she suffers a terrible headache.

PATIANAK – (Zambales, Ayta) A dwarf in the form of a little girl. Was seen by a man named Pan Basilio. The patianak dropped a handkerchief and he picked it up. Pan Basilio eventually forgot about the patianak which made her angry and caused her to make Pan Basilio sick due to unrequited feelings.

MT. PINATUBO MYTH

There are many myths in Pampangan myth that involve giants in Zambales hurling mountains and boulders across at one another.  Other myths generally include Malyari (Kapampangan deity of the moon who lives in Mt. Pinatubo and is ruler of the eight rivers.) or Sinukuan (Kapampangan sun god of war and death who lived in Mount Arayat).

In 1915, Henry Otley Beyer recorded a myth of the Ayta living in Zambales that sounds very much like a volcanic eruption of Pinatubo, but mentions neither Malyari or Sinukuan. Instead, the battle is between Algao, which may be northern name for the Sun (related to Aldo), and Bacobaco, a great sea turtle.  In this account Algao and Bacobaco have a great battle in which the latter eventually bores into the top of Pinatubo creating a great crater and emitting great flames, huge rocks, mud, ashes, smoke and deafening noise in the process. According to the legend, Bacobaco continued to dwell in the mountain and when he comes out “woe be to us.”

 

SOURCES:
Domingo Perez, “Relation of the Zambales,” (1680)  https://www.gutenberg.org/files/54041/54041-h/54041-h.htm#appendix
F Landa Jocano, “Outline of Philippine Mythology” (1969)
The Aswang Project: https://www.aswangproject.com/creatures-mythical-beings-philippine-folklore-mythology/
Jean Karl Gaverza “THE MYTHS OF THE PHILIPPINES (2014)” https://www.academia.edu/36248979/THE_MYTHS_OF_THE_PHILIPPINES_2014_
Peoples of the Philippines: Sambal: https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/glimpses-peoples-of-the-philippines/sambal/#

 

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